Category: Euthanasia

Canada Court Strikes Down Ban on Aiding Patient Suicide

New York Times

Ian Austen

OTTAWA  –  The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday struck down laws banning physician-assisted suicide for patients with “grievous and irremediable” medical conditions.

The unanimous decision, which reverses the position taken by the court 22 years ago, came more quickly than expected and might become an issue in federal elections to be held this year.

“The prohibition on physician-assisted dying infringes the right to life, liberty and security of the person in a manner that is not in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice,” the court wrote, adding that an absolute ban was not needed to ensure that vulnerable people are not coerced “to commit suicide at a time of weakness.” . . . [Full Text]

 

Doctor-assisted suicide a therapeutic service, says Canadian Medical Association

 Many technical questions remain following Supreme Court decision to allow medical aid in dying

CBC News

The Canadian Medical Association supports patients who seek “medical aid in dying” as well as physicians’ choice to participate, the group’s president said Thursday in response to a Supreme Court decision.

As the legal environment changes, the CMA said it will support doctors and patients who find medical aid in dying their best option.

“What we want to do is really make sure patients who are eligible under the new rules have access to this therapeutic service, but at the same time we need to be very careful that physicians have the right to conscientious objection for moral or ethical reasons or religious reasons,” CMA president Dr. Chris Simpson said in an interview from Yellowknife. . . [Full Text]

 

Helping suffering patients die may be doctor’s most humane option, Canadian Medical Association says

National Post

Sharon Kirkley

For the first time, the Canadian Medical Association has said helping a suffering patient die may be a doctor’s most humane option.

In a new position statement approved by its board, the CMA – once firmly opposed to any form of doctor-hastened killing – now states “there are rare occasions where patients have such a degree of suffering, even with access to palliative and end of life care, that they request medical aid in dying. In such a case, and within legal constraints, medical aid in dying may be appropriate.”

The policy change comes as the powerful doctors’ lobby prepares for a possible lifting of the federal ban on assisted suicide when the Supreme Court of Canada releases its historic ruling Friday morning in Ottawa.

If the top court strikes down laws making it a criminal offence to “counsel, aid or abet” another person to commit suicide,  “we’re going to need to hit the ground running if we want to lead and do this well,” said CMA president Dr. Chris Simpson. . . . [Full Text]

If Supreme Court decriminalizes physician-assisted suicide, doctors may be obligated to help with euthanasia

National Post

Shanifa Nasser

Doctors may be forced to support euthanasia over their own religious objections if the Supreme Court of Canada decides to decriminalize physician-assisted suicide in a landmark ruling expected Friday.

The court announced Monday it is set to rule on the Carter case launched on behalf of B.C. women Kathleen Carter and Gloria Taylor, who have since died.

Ahead of the ruling, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, which regulates medical doctors in Ontario, has been seeking public input on a draft policy that would force the province’s doctors to help patients access any services to which they are legally entitled. It will finalize the policy after the comment period ends on Feb. 20.

Whatever its policy ultimately looks like, the college is clear: a patient’s right to access services outweighs a doctor’s right to refuse them. “We prioritize the interests of our patients in facilitating access,” says Dr. Marc Gabel, past president of the college and chair of the policy’s working group. . . . [Full Text]

All Saskatchewan doctors must refer for abortions: draft policy

 LifeSiteNews

Steve Weatherbe

Saskatchewan pro-life doctors will soon be forced to act against their consciences and required to refer patients who want treatments such as abortion to other doctors. And if no other doctor is available, doctors could be required to do abortions provided they are technically competent.

So says a draft policy of the Saskatchewan Physicians and Surgeons that the organization’s ruling council approved in principle on January 16.  It will vote again to enshrine the document in the professional code of ethics at its meetings on March 26 and 27, and provides member doctors just until March 6 to give feedback. . . [Full text]